Goring & Streatley Regatta - but no Lockie

[The Glassman]

Another lovely Goring & Streatley Regatta yesterday in super weather. Usual turnout is 2-3000+ and it looked about right - maybe more. It takes place every year at about the same time - and always at the same venue, just upstream of Cleeve Lock - on a Saturday in late July.
So why was the lock apparently on self-service all day? The resident Lockie - the redoubtable Steve is on a well-deserved holiday (he often double-mans Cleeve & Goring). You’d assume that someone in the Office might think that Cleeve should best be manned on Regatta Day - but apparently not.
We locked through at lunchtime and again at 18.00 hrs on self-service and several other locals said that it was self-service all afternoon.
Well done, EA!:sour:

 

[byron]

Shame on the E.A.
This Regatta rightly claims to be one of the major Thames events and deserves a deal more support from the powers that be. The Lock should have been manned and there should have been a Launch in attendance.

 

[bumperdump]

Goring lock was manned today

 

[apollo]

No lockie at chertsey sat either. As always!

 

[oldgit]

Aware of event and simply no staff available.....
Not aware and no staff available.
Perhaps organisers of event neglected to remind EA that this was going on and the possiblilty of extra traffic.
Comments about lock being unmanned but nothing about any undue delays as a result ?

 

[Actionmat]

No lockie at chertsey sat either. As always!

I noticed that. Any reason why it's becoming self service?

 

[TrueBlue]

Perhaps upsetting some, but:-
Cleeve and Chertsey locks are easy to operate, not much fall and no particular issues with approach and so forth.
So if there's a shortage of staff it seems reasonable to me to have them unmanned.
Rather that than having some of the awkward locks on PP.

 

[boatone]

I noticed that. Any reason why it's becoming self service?

The "regular" lockie for Chertsey - note he is not resident - was covering at Penton Hook on Saturday as there were not enough staff available to provide cover at all locks.
The reason Chertsey seems to be frequently unmanned is because it is not perceived to be a priority lock when there are not enough staff available. Sadly, this appears to be a frequent occurrence and, frankly, I do not see it improving.

 

[byron]

Perhaps upsetting some, but:-
Cleeve and Chertsey locks are easy to operate, not much fall and no particular issues with approach and so forth.
So if there's a shortage of staff it seems reasonable to me to have them unmanned.
Rather that than having some of the awkward locks on PP.

A huge Regatta, a zillion kids on the loose, inexperienced bods swarming through, a sure recipe for disaster sooner or later. Really! it needs supervision on Regatta day and a Patrol Boat to watch over upriver of the Lock.

 

[The Glassman]

To be fair (!!) to the EA, there was a Patrol Launch mooching about during the afternoon of the Regatta.
Whilst I take the point made by responders to this thread that Cleeve is an ‘easy’ lock to operate on PP, Regatta day is when all the amateurs, occasional users and - later, potential trouble-makers come out to play. Just thought that - in the ‘elf and safety’ age, a Lockie on parade would make sense. What do I know though!

 

[boatone]

If anyone wishes to raise this matter in a more formal way, the right avenue would be through the relevant river user groups which is River Users Group Area 3 – Sandford to Cleeve.
The minutes of their meeting in June, at which the Harbourmaster was present, clearly mention the regatta and a river restriction notice was also issued.

You can find details etc here: http://www.riverusergroups.org.uk/the-groups.php

 

[Pump-Out]

Another lovely Goring & Streatley Regatta yesterday in super weather. Usual turnout is 2-3000+ and it looked about right - maybe more. It takes place every year at about the same time - and always at the same venue, just upstream of Cleeve Lock - on a Saturday in late July.
So why was the lock apparently on self-service all day? The resident Lockie - the redoubtable Steve is on a well-deserved holiday (he often double-mans Cleeve & Goring). You’d assume that someone in the Office might think that Cleeve should best be manned on Regatta Day - but apparently not.
We locked through at lunchtime and again at 18.00 hrs on self-service and several other locals said that it was self-service all afternoon.
Well done, EA!:sour:

I should not feel too victimised. The EA had nobody on at Temple on the Monday following TTBF - 200 boats leaving Henley and no planning for it. To be fair they did respond by taking two staff from somewhere and sending them to sort the back-log. But all too late.

 

[oldgit]

Unless a decent number of river users bother to contact the EA ,the lack of staff at this lock is highly unlikely to be regarded as problem .?

 

[Chris_d]

I should not feel too victimised. The EA had nobody on at Temple on the Monday following TTBF - 200 boats leaving Henley and no planning for it. To be fair they did respond by taking two staff from somewhere and sending them to sort the back-log. But all too late.

Do you mean Hambledon? surely not too bad two locks down at Temple, but its always a bit of a bottle neck.

 

[Pump-Out]

Do you mean Hambledon? surely not too bad two locks down at Temple, but its always a bit of a bottle neck.

Nope, I mean Temple.
Hambledon is a largish lock and well managed, so boats leave promptly. Long reach to Hurley to spread them out.
Hurley smaller, but manned,; some queuing but nothing excessive
Short reach to Temple, boats arrive en-block
No manning and small lock - long delays.

 

[kremmen]

Here you are guys.... https://ig24.i-grasp.com/fe/tpl_ea0...searchtext=&formsubmit4.x=44&formsubmit4.y=10.

Step up.

 

[oldgit]

Here you are guys.... https://ig24.i-grasp.com/fe/tpl_ea0...searchtext=&formsubmit4.x=44&formsubmit4.y=10.

Step up.

22k.On call 24/7. Winter and summer. Less deductions.
Going to suspect that "West Thames" is not the cheapest place to live regards housing.
Be interesting to see somebody bring up a family on that money,so basically a job only for the retired or those prepared to have a second/third job doing something else.
Doubt that the chap or lady will be running a boat on the Thames or perhaps keeping it in one of the local marinas either ?

 

[Chris_d]

22k.On call 24/7. Winter and summer. Less deductions.
Going to suspect that "West Thames" is not the cheapest place to live regards housing.
Be interesting to see somebody bring up a family on that money,so basically a job only for the retired or those prepared to have a second/third job doing something else.
Doubt that the chap or lady will be running a boat on the Thames or perhaps keeping it in one of the local marinas either ?

Yes only really possible if you get a house with the job! Considering the money I am always amazed at the quality of the lockies, you have to be dedicated.

 

[boatone]

22k.On call 24/7. Winter and summer. Less deductions.Going to suspect that "West Thames" is not the cheapest place to live regards housing.Be interesting to see somebody bring up a family on that money,so basically a job only for the retired or those prepared to have a second/third job doing something else.Doubt that the chap or lady will be running a boat on the Thames or perhaps keeping it in one of the local marinas either ?

Read the ads carefully.
One is for a full time relief to work the Teddington to Boveney stretch (this could improve cover at Chertsey) but the other is a short fixed term contract to end October 2015 based at Teddington - effectively just 3 months.
The blurb also seems a little disingenuous :

The team
The Waterways Department has responsibility for the River Thames from source to the tidal Thames at Teddington Lock. This encompasses 45 lock and weir complexes and in summer periods there are up to 300 staff working across the river including some 200 volunteers. Our aim is to provide great service to all of our customers who visit the River Thames.

There are barely 100 staff employed, by Reading EA Thames in total, many of whom are on leave/sick/otherwise not available for lock duties, and volunteer cover is not continuous or geographically even along the river so the number of staff/volunteers providing cover on any one day will be well under the 300.
45 locks require 45 employed lock and weir keepers(out of a total of approximately 60) to be actually on duty if every lock is to be covered. It is no wonder that some locks are not covered.

The candidate information pack makes for interesting reading - https://ig24.i-grasp.com/fe/wrapaa_...12480225&pagestamp=seodmpkjqrwcctjqtb&index=1

 

[rosssavage]

love to do the job, but not for £22k!!

Retirement job for me, but still 20 years away from that (I hope..)